IVR, Understanding the Full Service IVR Hosted Managed Approach

Interactive Voice Response is one of the mostfor the real-time exchange of information with
widely used technologies in business today. Utilizedyour web enabled database - this industry
by organizations to deliver a wide range ofstandard allows you to communicate with your
services over the telephone, IVR provides aIVR service provider in real-time, utilizing standard
broad spectrum of uses for B2B and B2Ccommunication protocols such as XML over HTTP.
applications, including surveys, account inquiryThis communication method allows you to
systems, lead generation, product order andcapitalize on your existing web technology
fulfillment, credit card transactions and fieldinvestment, and skills. Batch Transfer: As an
employee reporting, as well as many otheralternative to Web Services, your IVR service
business applications. Well-designed IVR systemsprovider should be able to offer you a batch
can significantly reduce operating costs, and helpprocess, which utilizes FTP to transfer data
organizations in supporting both their customersbetween databases on a scheduled basis. Although
and employees. Outsourcing is a cost effectivethis is a relatively mature technology, and does
way for organizations to add IVR to theirnot provide the real-time capabilities of web
customer/employee communication mix, whileservices, it may be a good alternative if you are
avoiding high start-up costs, limited scalability plusretrieving/storing data from a legacy system, or
maintenance or obsolescence worries. IVR -your organization has strict guidelines regarding
Understanding the Full Service Hosted Managedcommunicating data over HTTP protocols with
Approach When choosing a full service IVRoutside vendors. Data Hosting: If your application
service provider, you can expect the following: Todoes not require real-time access to your in-house
manage all aspects of the IVR project includingdatabase, or you wish to keep the IVR data
planning, development, testing, and deployment ofcompletely isolated from your IT infrastructure
the application. To work with your business and ITyour IVR service provider will be able to offer
team, to achieve the desired data integrationyou, a Data hosting plan, including utilities to
objectives. To take care of vendor relationships,extract your data 24/7. This approach is very
maintain and update telecom infrastructure,common with short-term IVR applications such as
software and hardware as required. To act as asurveys. Voice Talent -- Selecting Voice Talent
single point of contact for IVR implementation andfor your IVR application is a key consideration, as
maintenance, that can bring the necessaryshe/he will be representing your company; she/he
resources and experts to you in time to meetis your spokesperson. As well, she/he should have
your objectives. To provide you with dedicatedexperience in recording prompts for IVR, as the
support, and have an in-depth understanding ofpace, pronunciation, and intonation are important
your application. Since IVR providers are industryto keep the caller engaged. Before you select
experts and have developed 1000's ofVoice Talent, ask to listen to a sample, and
applications, they are well prepared to get an IVRremember, just because she/he may have
solution up and running in a relatively short periodbroadcast experience, or a good voice, that
of time. Key Application Design &doesn't necessarily mean they will know how to
Implementation Elements: Once you choose yourengage a caller in an IVR environment. Listen to a
IVR service provider, they will work with yousample recording, first and foremost, you want
though the key design/implementation elementssomeone who makes the application flow, and is
to achieve your specific business objectives.easy to understand. Reporting -- Your IVR
These include: Review of your programservice provider will provide you with standard
objectives and specifications - a goodIVR traffic reporting, allowing you to monitor the
understanding of your business and businessactivity of your application 24/7 in real-time. In
objectives will provide your IVR service provideraddition to standard reporting, you might want to
with key information to make recommendationsreview with your IVR service provider how to
throughout the process. Script /VUI (Voice Usercreate application specific reporting, allowing you
Interface) - Your IVR service provider will consultto audit the process, and implement a continuous
with you, on how to design a Call Flow &improvement process. Application Support: In the
Script to meet your business objectives, whileHosted Managed Service, Client Applications are
optimizing caller experience. After all, increasingmonitored, maintained, and supported on a daily
your customer satisfaction should always be yourbasis to ensure the best performance. Applications
priority to maximize your investment. Dataare monitored to ensure high availability,
Connectivity, Communication and Storage - Yourperformance, and ensure clients business
IVR application will most likely be required toobjectives are being met. From an IVR Hosted
retrieve or/and store information from aManaged Service you can expect: •
database. Your IVR service provider will be ableCustom support based on customer specific
to offer you a wide range of data communicationapplication. • 24/7 support of the IVR
options, to meet your specific businessapplications and component technology •
objectives, in line with your technological24/7Network Operations Center (NOC) monitoring
capabilities. Allow your IVR service provider to• Telephone, e-mail and web support *
discuss these in detail, as there are severalConsult your service provider as to the application
options, and one will best meet yoursupport options available.
requirements. Web Services: Web services allows